Changing Careers:
5 Tips on What to Include in a Resume
As a job seeker, you are always on the lookout for opportunities in your industry and often spend many hours a day scanning hundreds of job postings. This is especially true when you are considering changing careers or jobs for some other reasons.
Tailoring your resume as per the job posting requirements is one of the first steps to successful job searching. Many people overlook this step and end up sending out generic ones to all their prospective employers.
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Remember – there’s always an option to turn to a career advice expert or choose a reliable resume online service to do the job for you. Letting a professional do the writing pays off more than you can imagine. With exceptional customer care and design tailored to your needs, you’ll have a winning resume at an affordable price and in no time.
So, how do you tailor your CV? What should you mention in one if you want to build a new career? In this article, we will discuss five tips on what should be included in a resume while seeking a career change.
Focus on Specific Skills
When changing careers, having relevant key skills is very important as it will act as an added value to your resume. For example, if you are applying for a social media marketing position, highlighting skills like “SEO” and “blogging” will add weight to your application.
If you, for example, want to look for jobs in the BPO industry, it would be great to show some knowledge of call center operation. General knowledge is not enough here, and companies prefer candidates who have taken training classes or the ones with relevant work experience.
Organize Your Career History Properly
You can divide your history into different sections to make it easier for an employer to digest your work experience and qualifications as an applicant. These sections can include a summary of your employment experience, education, and training, as well as any skills or accomplishments relevant to the position.
Presenting all of this information in one section can be overwhelming for some employers and make it difficult for them to identify which skill sets you possess.
Include Qualifications That You Have
In addition to your general education, it is important to have specific qualifications relevant to the job you are pursuing. For example, if you are applying for a position as a financial advisor, having the SIE certification would be a significant advantage. The SIE certification is a regulatory exam in the United States that evaluates fundamental knowledge and understanding of the securities industry. It covers a wide range of topics related to securities, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, investment strategies, and regulatory frameworks. To learn more about this exam, you can explore an in-depth guide available on the Career Employer test prep site, the guide will help you create a personalized study plan tailored to your strengths and weaknesses. These plans can help you understand how long you need to allocate their time and resources efficiently, ensuring that they cover all necessary material.
Don’t Forget About Keywords
In today’s job market, many people are vying for the same positions. Employers search for candidates using keywords and phrases that describe the job they’re offering.
If you want your CV to make it past the application stage, make sure it includes relevant keywords and phrases. Just like with a search engine, these words will make your document easier to find and read by an HR professional. And the keywords are essential to beat the applicant tracking system (ATS system).
The natural question arises: what kinds of keywords should you add to craft a winning resume? We recommend concentrating on the skills needed for the position you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a position as a web developer, keywords like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript would be a good start.
Including more general keywords, such as technical skills or experience, is also a good idea. But remember not to overdo it – if you make your CV full of keywords that have nothing to do with the position, you’ll end up looking like an amateur. The best way to land a dream job is to use a best resume service like Skillhub so you can be sure that all keywords are in the right position.
Include a Cover Letter
Your cover letter should directly address the position you are applying for. This will serve as a form of introduction and give you the opportunity to cover any points that you may not have included in the body of your resume. A good way to do this is to engage one or two points from the job description and explain how they relate to your skills and experience.
A cover letter is also a good place to expand upon any noteworthy achievements you may have under your belt (for example, working with a well-known recruiter or being recognized by your company).
If you are using a CV for a seasonal job or internship, be sure to specify when you would be available for work. Seasonal jobs/internships can sometimes make you fall into the trap of being too vague, such as saying “available anytime.” If it’s not something that can be done year-round, make clear at what times you will not be available.
Add Correct Details and Contact Information
Include your personal information, contact details, and any related links. Check whether your email address and phone number are up to date. If you have a LinkedIn profile, make sure that your resume links to it, and if you have an online portfolio of any kind, add a link to it as well.
These days, most people expect to be able to find a digital version of your resume online, so make sure that it’s available on the web if you want to stand out from the rest and land a job quicker.
Final Thoughts
Your resume is a marketing piece, and it’s meant to catch the eye of a hiring manager. People’s biggest mistake is writing a chronological list of their work history. This type of resume tells the reader nothing about your skills and talents and should be avoided.
Putting together an impressive resume takes time but following these five tips will get you on your way to creating one that gets noticed. Thus, you’ll land an interview in a snap!
